1 A nd the sons of Israel journey and encamp in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, Jericho.

The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

2 A nd Balak son of Zippor seeth all that Israel hath done to the Amorite,

Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3 a nd Moab is exceedingly afraid of the presence of the people, for it numerous; and Moab is vexed by the presence of the sons of Israel,

Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

4 a nd Moab saith unto the elders of Midian, `Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor king of Moab at that time,

Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

5 a nd he sendeth messengers unto Balaam son of Beor, to Pethor, which by the River of the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, `Lo, a people hath come out of Egypt; lo, it hath covered the eye of the land, and it is abiding over-against me;

He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt. Behold, they cover the surface of the earth, and they are staying opposite me.

6 a nd now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it mightier than I; it may be I prevail -- we smite it -- and I cast it out from the land; for I have known -- that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.'

Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7 A nd the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian go, and divinations in their hand, and they come in unto Balaam, and speak unto him the words of Balak,

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand. They came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balak.

8 a nd he saith unto them, `Lodge here to-night, and I have brought you back word, as Jehovah speaketh unto me;' and the princes of Moab abide with Balaam.

He said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Yahweh shall speak to me.” The princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9 A nd God cometh in unto Balaam, and saith, `Who these men with thee?'

God came to Balaam, and said, “Who are these men with you?”

10 A nd Balaam saith unto God, `Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me:

Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has said to me,

11 L o, the people that is coming out from Egypt and covereth the eye of the land, -- now come, pierce it for me; it may be I am able to fight against it, and have cast it out;'

‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse me them. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”

12 a nd God saith unto Balaam, `Thou dost not go with them; thou dost not curse the people; for it blessed.'

God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people; for they are blessed.”

13 A nd Balaam riseth in the morning, and saith unto the princes of Balak, `Go unto your land, for Jehovah is refusing to suffer me to go with you;'

Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land; for Yahweh refuses to permit me to go with you.”

14 a nd the princes of Moab rise, and come in unto Balak, and say, `Balaam is refusing to come with us.'

The princes of Moab rose up, and they went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 A nd Balak addeth yet to send princes, more numerous and honoured than these,

Balak again sent princes, more, and more honorable than they.

16 a nd they come in unto Balaam, and say to him, `Thus said Balak son of Zippor, Be not, I pray thee, withheld from coming unto me,

They came to Balaam, and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me,

17 f or very greatly I honour thee, and all that thou sayest unto me I do; and come, I pray thee, pierce for me this people.'

for I will promote you to very great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do. Please come therefore, and curse this people for me.’”

18 A nd Balaam answereth and saith unto the servants of Balak, `If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah my God, to do a little or a great thing;

Balaam answered the servants of Balak, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond the word of Yahweh my God, to do less or more.

19 a nd, now, abide, I pray you, in this, you also, to-night; and I know what Jehovah is adding to speak with me.'

Now therefore, please wait also here this night, that I may know what Yahweh will speak to me more.”

20 A nd God cometh in unto Balaam, by night, and saith to him, `If to call for thee the men have come, rise, go with them, and only the thing which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost do.'

God came to Balaam at night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak to you, that you shall do.”

21 A nd Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,

Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

22 a nd the anger of God burneth because he is going, and a messenger of Jehovah stationeth himself in the way for an adversary to him, and he is riding on his ass, and two of his servants with him,

God’s anger burned because he went; and Yahweh’s angel placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

23 a nd the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.

The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.

24 A nd the messenger of Jehovah standeth in a narrow path of the vineyards -- a wall on this and a wall on that --

Then Yahweh’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25 a nd the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and is pressed unto the wall, and presseth Balaam's foot unto the wall, and he addeth to smite her;

The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.

26 a nd the messenger of Jehovah addeth to pass over, and standeth in a strait place where there is no way to turn aside -- right or left --

Yahweh’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27 a nd the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.

The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

28 A nd Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, `What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?'

Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

29 a nd Balaam saith to the ass, `Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;'

Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”

30 a nd the ass saith unto Balaam, `Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden since thine unto this day? have I at all been accustomed to do to thee thus?' and he saith, `No.'

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”

31 A nd Jehovah uncovereth the eyes of Balaam, and he seeeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and he boweth and doth obeisance, to his face;

Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Yahweh’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.

32 a nd the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, `Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I -- I have come out for an adversary, for way hath been perverse before me,

Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.

33 a nd the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.'

The donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

34 A nd Balaam saith unto the messenger of Jehovah, `I have sinned, for I did not know that thou standing to meet me in the way; and now, if evil in thine eyes -- I turn back by myself.'

Balaam said to Yahweh’s angel, “I have sinned; for I didn’t know that you stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases you, I will go back again.”

35 A nd the messenger of Jehovah saith unto Balaam, `Go with the men; and only the word which I speak unto thee -- it thou dost speak;' and Balaam goeth with the princes of Balak.

Yahweh’s angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

36 A nd Balak heareth that Balaam hath come, and goeth out to meet him, unto a city of Moab, which on the border of Arnon, which in the extremity of the border;

When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him to the City of Moab, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.

37 a nd Balak saith unto Balaam, `Did I not diligently sent unto thee to call for thee? why didst thou not come unto me? am I not truly able to honour thee?'

Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I earnestly send to you to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?”

38 A nd Balaam saith unto Balak, `Lo, I have come unto thee; now -- am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth -- it I do speak.'

Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”

39 A nd Balaam goeth with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth,

Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath Huzoth.

40 a nd Balak sacrificeth oxen and sheep, and sendeth to Balaam, and to the princes who with him;

Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes who were with him.

41 a nd it cometh to pass in the morning, that Balak taketh Balaam, and causeth him to go up the high places of Baal, and he seeth from thence the extremity of the people.

In the morning, Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal; and he saw from there part of the people.